Why does my child stim?

Stimming can serve many functions regardless of whether the person stimming has a disability. Most often, stimming serves as a self-soothing method and a means of emotional and sensory self-regulation.

The primary reasons people stim include:

• Emotional regulation/management for calming or grounding as a response to either positive emotional states (e.g., excitement) or negative emotional states (e.g., anxiety). It can also serve to communicate a mood, such as joy, pleasure, boredom, or anxiety.

• Sensory regulation if a child is feeling overstimulated from too much noise, too many people in close proximity, or the sensation of certain textures (like their clothes).

• Sensory regulation for children who are sensory seeking may need to feel intense sensations like heavy pressure to regulate themselves

• Focus and attention such as shaking legs, chewing on pencils, or sounding things out loud to help them focus and expel excess energy

Nearly all forms of stimming come from a child’s sensory needs and how to balance them with the demands of everyday life. Beyond addressing a child’s own sensory needs, stimming can also help parents, educators, peers, and others around the child recognize a specific need.

For more information, see our full article What Is Stimming?